华山——熊耳山地块早前寒武纪绿岩及其形成构造背景

华北地台南缘华山－熊耳山地块早前寒武纪绿岩带中存在有晚太古代第一期绿岩和古元古代早期第二期绿岩。它们的地质地球化学特征的研究表明：第一期绿岩为一套大洋型基性－中酸性火山岩和科马提岩类夹少量典型太古宙深海沉积建造,形成于硅镁质地壳拉开背景下的洋中脊环境,代表当时的洋壳;第二期绿岩为一套岛弧型基性－中基性火山岩夹中酸性火山岩、下部的太古宙型沉积岩和上部的后太古宙型沉积岩,形成于第一期绿岩硅铝化而成的岛     

华北克拉通北缘新太古代清原绿岩带BIF与VMS共生矿床的构造背景及成因联系

华北克拉通北缘新太古代清原绿岩带,以产出中国最古老的红透山火山岩型块状硫化物（VMS）铜锌矿床而闻名.但近年同位素年代学研究表明,该绿岩带还发育同期的条带状（BIF）铁矿.对该绿岩带开展BIF铁矿、VMS铜锌矿时空和成因关系及其形成构造背景和海洋环境的研究非常必要.在综述近年笔者及前人获得的清原绿岩带地质剖面观察、典型VMS铜锌矿床和BIF铁矿床地质、锆石U-Pb年代学、主微量元素和Nd-Fe-S同位素地球化学等资料的基础上,总结了清原绿岩带VMS-BIF矿床组合形成的构造背景、成矿物质来源及形成规律.最后建立了新太古代清原绿岩带VMS-BIF弧后盆地系统成矿模式.这对于指导区域找矿预测、了解新太古代陆壳演化和古海洋环境均有重要的科学意义.      

华北克拉通早前寒武纪基性火山作用与地壳增生

大量的年代学资料表明,华北克拉通在早前寒武纪阶段有两个主要的基性火山活动时期,一期发生在2.7Ga左右,另一期发生在2.5Ga左右,代表了两期强烈的地壳增生事件。太古宙末期基性火山岩的分布、地球化学特征、基性火山岩与其他岩石的关系和组合特征表明,华北克拉通在新太古代时期,在陆块之间基性火山岩的喷溢使地壳面积增大并把原本分离的小陆块拼合到一起,造成地壳的增生。在陆块内部,地壳的增生主要通过地幔柱的方式进行,在较均匀的地壳部分主要通过基性岩浆的垫托方式使地壳增厚,部分岩浆侵位到地壳较浅部位,甚至溢出地表。这两种地壳增生方式是相辅相成的,它们的联合作用形成了太古宙末的华北古大陆。     

前寒武纪地球动力学(Ⅶ):早期大陆地壳的形成与演化

冥古宙到太古宙大陆地壳主要由花岗质片麻岩区和绿岩带构造单元组成。大量的研究表明,以花岗质岩石出现为标志的大陆地壳最早的碎屑锆石记录为约4.4Ga,最早的英云闪长质-花岗闪长质片麻岩形成于约4.03Ga,最早的绿岩带层序形成于约3.8Ga。冥古宙到始—古太古代时期的花岗质片麻岩区主要由英云闪长质-奥长花岗质-花岗闪长质片麻岩组成(TTG片麻岩),中—新太古代,尤其是新太古代晚期TTG片麻岩仍然为花岗质片麻岩区的主要岩石组成,但是花岗质片麻岩的成分出现了明显的多样化趋势,最明显的标志就是出现了大量的花岗闪长岩-二长花岗岩-碱长花岗岩组合。绿岩带的组成较为复杂,早期科马提岩、拉斑玄武岩等铁镁质火山岩占主导地位,组合有BIF等沉积层序,尤其是科马提岩的出现标志着高温地幔岩浆作用占主导作用。而晚期绿岩带科马提岩占的比重已经明显较少,大量出现拉斑玄武质-钙碱性玄武质到英安质火山岩和副变质沉积层序,局部出现类玻安岩、埃达克岩的变质火山岩记录。地球动力学体制研究表明,冥古宙到古太古代以地幔柱构造体制占主导地位,从始太古代到古太古代(3.0Ga)地幔柱活动和地幔对流使岩石圈不断加厚。在地幔对流沉降部位,由于地幔对流的拖曳使其铁镁质地壳逆冲堆垛并不断增厚,其深部发生麻粒岩相-榴辉岩相变质、部分熔融形成初始的大陆地壳花岗质岩石,并孕育了早期高温状态的板块热俯冲。中太古代晚期和新太古代初期形成了以榴辉岩为标志的类现代板片俯冲的构造体制,新太古代末期尽管地幔柱构造体制在局部仍起重要作用,但是类现代板片俯冲构造体制已经成为这一时期主导的动力学体制。     

额尔古纳地块基底地质构造

额尔古纳地块是额尔古纳-马门-加格达奇拼合地块中的典型代表.研究表明,其基底由前中元古代绿岩及与之伴生的花岗质杂岩组成,它们具有地壳早期演化的地质构造特征.绿岩带为典型的变质基性-酸性火山岩及部分变质沉积岩系构成的火山-沉积建造,火山岩以拉斑玄武岩为主,向上过渡为钙碱性火山岩系列,表现为双峰态型特点.花岗岩类为TTG岩系及石英二长岩-花岗岩组合.花岗岩-绿岩地体内各岩石类型的岩石地球化学特征与国外太古宙及我国华北陆台花岗岩-绿岩带内同类岩石极为相似.双峰态型火山岩及绿岩建造组合,以及类似于TH2、FII型的变质基性火山岩和长英质火山岩特征,结合高铝型英云闪长岩-奥长花岗岩组合,指示了研究区绿岩带的形成环境类似于大陆边缘弧后裂谷型火山-沉积盆地.     

华北克拉通新太古代早期—中太古代晚期（2.6~3.0 Ga）巨量陆壳增生:综述

在对一些重点地区新太古代早期—中太古代晚期（2.6~3.0 Ga）岩石的空间分布、岩石类型和形成时代作简要介绍基础上,文章总结了华北克拉通这一时代花岗质岩石的年龄分布模式、地球化学和Nd-Hf-O同位素组成特征。新太古代早期—中太古代晚期变质基底具有如下特征:①新太古代早期—中太古代晚期岩浆作用在华北克拉通几乎连续分布,峰期为2.70~2.75 Ga;②新太古代早期—中太古代晚期岩石在华北克拉通广泛存在,主要分布在东部古陆块、中部古陆块和南部古陆块中;③新太古代早期—中太古代晚期侵入岩以英云闪长岩为主,存在奥长花岗岩和花岗闪长岩及其他类型岩石;④新太古代早期—中太古代晚期表壳岩规模很小,零星分布于花岗质岩石中,岩石类型主要为变玄武质岩石,一些地区存在变质科马提岩、变质安山质?英安质火山岩和变质碎屑沉积岩;⑤2.6 Ga可作为华北克拉通新太古代早期和晚期的界线;⑥TTG岩石的Sr/Y和La/Yb比值存在很大变化,在Sr/Y-Y和La/Yb-Yb图中位于高压、中压和低压TTG分布区;除少量富钾花岗岩外,华北克拉通新太古代早期—中太古代晚期岩石大都具有亏损Nd-Hf同位素组成特征;岩浆锆石O同位素组成与全球太古宙岩浆锆石类似;⑦许多地区都具有类似地质特征,但一些地区显示出较大的独特性。新的研究进一步支持了这样的认识:与全球其他许多典型克拉通类似,新太古代早期—中太古代晚期是华北克拉通最重要的陆壳增生时期,主要区别是华北克拉通叠加了强烈的新太古代晚期岩浆构造热事件。      

南美洲圭亚那地盾北部绿岩带地质特征、典型金矿床及金成矿作用

圭亚那地盾位于南美洲亚马孙克拉通的北部,其北部广泛发育太古宙典型的花岗岩-绿岩带,主要岩石组成为花岗岩、片麻岩和英云闪长岩,古元古代变质超基性-基性火山岩-侵入岩、其他变质火山岩等。由于独特的地质构造位置和复杂的构造演化历史,形成了良好的绿岩型金成矿地质背景,产生了大量的金矿床。通过总结圭亚那地盾北部绿岩带的岩石特征、成岩时代和构造演化历史,对委内瑞拉埃尔卡劳金矿、圭亚那欧迈金矿和苏里南罗瑟贝尔金矿进行典型矿床剖析,系统研究了该区绿岩带型金矿的成矿地质背景、成矿流体及成矿年代学特征,建立了区域绿岩带型金矿成矿模型,并在分析找矿要素的基础上,提出圭亚那地盾北部的金矿找矿方向。     

前寒武纪地球动力学(Ⅷ):华北克拉通太古宙末期地壳生长方式

地球早期大陆地壳的生长方式和壳幔动力学机制一直是国际前寒武纪研究的热点问题。尽管太古宙是大陆地壳生长的主要时期已基本获得共识,但是对于太古宙时期地壳生长的具体方式和壳幔动力学过程仍然存在很大的争议。部分学者提出地幔柱或者与拆沉相关的垂向构造体制,而其他学者主张与俯冲相关的侧向增生模式或者地幔柱-岛弧的联合作用体制。研究表明,太古宙末期科马提岩明显减少、富钾花岗质岩石普遍发育、地壳再循环速度显著增强,反映地壳演化的壳幔动力学机制发生了明显的转变。华北克拉通以发育大规模2.5~2.6Ga构造岩浆活动为特征,是探讨太古宙末期地壳生长方式和壳幔动力学机制转变的关键地区。本文系统总结了近些年来华北克拉通东部陆块西北缘早前寒武纪研究的最新进展,特别是对辽西、冀东、辽北和五台地区的新太古代晚期(约2.5~2.6Ga)表壳岩变质火山岩系进行了系统的岩石成因和壳幔作用探讨。研究表明,上述地区的变质铁镁质岩石可以划分为3个岩石成因系列:MORB型、IAT(岛弧拉斑玄武岩)型和CAB(岛弧钙碱性玄武岩)型,它们的原岩分别起源于洋中脊软流圈地幔以及受到不同程度俯冲流体交代的地幔楔的部分熔融。变质安山质-英安质火山岩分别具有类似高镁安山岩和埃达克岩的地球化学特征,它们的原岩形成过程可能与俯冲板片的部分熔融以及板片熔体与地幔楔的相互作用有关。结合整个东部陆块早前寒武纪的研究进展,我们提出华北克拉通在太古宙末期(约2.5和约2.7Ga)经历了强烈的地壳生长过程,其中新太古代早期(约2.7Ga)地壳生长以地幔柱-岛弧联合作用体制为主,而新太古代末期(约2.5~2.6Ga)以洋内俯冲和弧陆增生作用体制占主导地位。新太古代末期与俯冲增生相关的构造岩浆活动在Tarim克拉通、印度南部、南极洲Vestfold Hills地体以及南澳Gawler克拉通被广泛报道,这可能与类似显生宙板块构造体制的启动以及太古宙末期Kenorland超大陆的汇聚过程有关。     

华北克拉通的形成以及早期板块构造

地球上最早的地壳岩石是高钠的花岗质(TTG)岩石,但是否有更老的洋壳存在过、以及陆壳是怎样形成的,涉及到地球动力学几乎所有的问题。其中板块构造是在什么时候开始的,就是个延续了数十年热度不减的前沿科学问题。流行的说法是板块构造始于新元古代,也有一些学者认为在新太古代就已经开始,或者认为自从地球上有了水的记录,就开始有板块构造。在众多的判别板块构造的标志中,蛇绿岩残片和古老的高压变质岩无疑是两个最具影响力的问题。前者可以确定有远古的古老洋壳存在过并成为缝合带中的残片,后者可以指示曾有地表的岩石单元被俯冲到深部,是俯冲、消减与碰撞的岩石学证据。本文在讨论和比较了太古宙绿岩带与蛇绿岩,以及早前寒武纪高温高压(HTHP)麻粒岩/高温—超高温(HT-UHT)麻粒岩与造山带高压变质带之后,认为尚不能作为板块构造的证据。本文还对华北的新太古代末的稳定大陆形成以及古元古代活动带的裂谷-俯冲-碰撞进行了论述。提出华北克拉通在新太古代末的绿岩带-高级区格局可能标志着热体制下有限的横向活动构造,微陆块被火山-沉积岩系焊接,随后发生变质作用和花岗岩化,完成稳定大陆的克拉通化过程。其构造机制可能是适度规模且多发的地幔柱构造控制下小尺度的横向构造运动的机制。华北克拉通的古元古代活动带有与绿岩带-高级区不同的构造样式,表壳岩带状分布,经受了强烈的变形以及中级变质作用,伴随花岗岩的侵入,虽然没有蛇绿岩和高压变质带,但已表现出板块构造的雏形特征。     

鲁西科马提岩研究进展

太古宙地幔的热状态是研究早期历史的核心问题之一,而科马提岩是研究早期热状态最直接的标本.科马提岩是一种无水MgO含量大于18%,具鬣刺结构的一种超镁铁质火山岩[1];它是太古代绿岩带的重要标志,被认为是高度熔融的地幔柱的产物[2,3],记录了大量地球深部过程的直接信息,其成分特征可以用来示踪太古宙地幔熔融的深度和温度并反演其形成过程[4,5].因此对了解太古代地幔的组成、热状态以及太古代绿岩带的层序和构造背景具有重要的地球化学和动力学意义6.     

Detrital zircon U-Pb geochronology of stromatolitic carbonates from the greenstone belts of Dharwar Craton and Cuddapah basin of Peninsular India

Oldest rocks are sparsely distributed within the Dharwar Craton and little is known about their involvement in the sedimentary sequences which are present in the Archean greenstone successions and the Proterozoic Cuddapah basin.Stromatolitic carbonates are well preserved in the Neoarchean greenstone belts of Dharwar Craton and Cuddapah Basin of Peninsular India displaying varied morphological and geochemical characteristics.In this study,we report results from U-Pb geochronology and trace element composition of the detrital zircons from stromatolitic carbonates present within the Dharwar Craton and Cuddapah basin to understand the provenance and time of accretion and deposition.The UPb ages of the detrital zircons from the Bhimasamudra and Marikanve stromatolites of the Chitradurga greenstone belt of Dharwar Craton display ages of 3426±26 Ma to 2650±38 Ma whereas the Sandur stromatolites gave an age of 3508±29 Ma to 2926±36 Ma suggesting Paleo-to Neoarchean provenance.The U-Pb detrital zircons of the Tadpatri stromatolites gave an age of 2761±31 Ma to1672±38 Ma suggesting Neoarchean to Mesoproterozoic provenance.The Rare Earth Element(REE)patterns of the studied detrital zircons from Archean Dharwar Craton and Proterozoic Cuddapah basin display depletion in light rare earth elements(LREE)and enrichment in heavy rare earth elements(HREE)with pronounced positive Ce and negative Eu anomalies,typical of magmatic zircons.The trace element composition and their relationship collectively indicate a mixed granitoid and mafic source for both the Dharwar and Cuddapah stromatolites.The 3508±29 Ma age of the detrital zircons support the existence of 3.5 Ga crust in the Western Dharwar Craton.The overall detrital zircon ages(3.5-2.7 Ga)obtained from the stromatolitic carbonates of Archean greenstone belts and Proterozoic Cuddapah basin(2.7-1.6 Ga)collectively reflect on^800-900 Ma duration for the Precambrian stromatolite deposition in the Dharwar Craton.     

Sm-Nd dating of Fig Tree clay minerals of the Barberton greenstone belt, South Africa

Sm-Nd isotopic data from carbonate-derived clay minerals of the 3.22-3.25 Ga Fig Tree Group, Barberton greenstone belt, South Africa, form a linear array corresponding to an age of 3102 +/- 64 Ma, making these minerals the oldest dated clays on Earth. The obtained age is 120-160 m.y. younger than the depositional age determined by zircon geochronology. Nd model ages for the clays range from approximately 3.39 to 3.44 Ga and almost cover the age variation of the Barberton greenstone belt rocks, consistent with independent evidence that the clay minerals are derived from material of the belt. The combined isotopic and mineralogical data provide evidence for a cryptic thermal overprint in the sediments of the belt. However, the highest temperature reached by the samples since the time of clay-mineral formation was <300 degrees C, lower than virtually any known early Archean supracrustal sequence.     

Mafic-ultramafic magmatism of the Early Precambrian (from the Archean to Paleoproterozoic)

Compositional evolution of the Archean mafic-ultramafic volcanics is considered in comparison with evolution of the Paleoproterozoic volcanism using available data on the Baltic shield, Pilbara (Australia) and Superior (Canada) cratons, and the Isua greenstone belt (Greenland). The Archean volcanics of mantle origin are of two major types, represented (a) by komatiite-basaltic complexes (komatiites, komatiitic and tholeiitic basalts) and (b) by geochemical analogs of boninites (GAB) and siliceous high-Mg series (SHMS) of volcanic rocks. As is established, the komatiitic and GAB volcanism ceased in the terminal Archean, whereas the SHMS rocks prevailed in the Paleoproterozoic to become extinct about 2 Ga ago in connection with transition to the Phanerozoic type of tectonomagmatic activity. Geochemical trends of mafic-ultramafic associations occurring in the considered cratons are not uniform, being of particular character to certain extent. With transition from the Paleo- to Neoarchean, rock associations of both types reveal a minor increase in Ti and Fe contents. Comparatively high Fe₂O_3tot TiO₂, and P₂O₅ concentrations (maximal ones in the Archean), which are characteristic of the Neoarchean (2.75–2.70 Ga) basalts from the Superior and Pilbara cratons or the Baltic shield, represent a result of relatively high-Ti intracratonic magmatic activity that commenced in that period practically for the first time in the Earth history. This magmatic activity of the Neoarchean was not as intense as the high-Mg basaltic volcanism, and the absolute maximum in concentrations of the above components was attained only 2.2–1.9 Ga ago, at the time of appearance in abundance of Fe-Ti picrites and basalts typical of the Phanerozoic intraplate magmatism. The Archean volcanic complexes demonstrate gradual secular increase in concentrations of incompatible elements (LREE inclusive) and growth of Nb/Th ratio that apparently reflected the progressing influence of mantle plumes. In the early Paleoproterozoic (2.5–2.35 Ga), values of that ratio considerably declined in the SHMS rocks and then quickly grew in the Middle Paleoproterozoic volcanics (2.2–1.9 Ga) to attain finally the values typical of the Phanerozoic magmas associated in origin with mantle plumes. The ?_Nd(T) parameter was decreasing with time from positive values in the Paleoarchean to negative ones in the SHMS rocks of the Paleoproterozoic most likely in response to grown proportion of ancient crustal material in magmatic melts. Since the mid-Paleoproterozoic, the ?_Nd(T) values turn in general into positive again reflecting change in the character of magmatic activity: the SHMS melts gave place at that time to the Fe-Ti picrite-basaltic magmas. The primary crust of the Earth was presumably of sialic composition and originated during solidification from the bottom upward of the global magma ocean a few hundreds kilometers deep, when most fusible components migrated up to the surface to form there the granitic crust. Geological history of the Earth commenced at the appearance time of granite-greenstone terranes and granulite belts separating them, the first large tectonic structures formed under influence of raising mantle superplumes.     

华北克拉通中东部新太古代晚期变质火山岩及动力学体制

热状态和壳幔岩浆作用是理解早期地壳形成演化动力学机制的关键.华北克拉通是世界范围内为数不多的保存有大量新太古代晚期(约26～25亿年)变质火山岩记录的克拉通之一,对揭示全球新太古代晚期壳-幔动力学演化过程具有重要的指示意义.在我们研究组近期关于华北克拉通中东部中新太古代热状态和地壳厚度研究基础上,本文收集并整理了726...     

Geochemistry of the Archean Kam Group, Yellowknife Greenstone Belt, Slave Province, Canada

The geochemistry and isotope systematics of Archean greenstone belts provide important constraints on the origin of the volcanic rocks and tectonic models for the evolution of Archean cratons. The Kam Group is a approximately 10-km-thick pile of submarine, tholeiitic mafic, and subordinate felsic volcanic rocks erupted between 2712 and 2701 Ma that forms the bulk of the Yellowknife greenstone belt in the dominantly granite-metasedimentary Slave Province. Mafic rocks range from Normal-mid-ocean range basalt-like basalts to slightly light-rare-earth-element-enriched (LREE-enriched) but Nb-depleted basaltic andesites and andesites, whereas dacitic to rhyodacitic felsic rocks are strongly LREE-enriched and highly depleted in Nb. The varepsilonTNd range from +5 to -3 in the mafic to intermediate rocks and from 0 to -5.5 in the felsic rocks. The varepsilonTNd decreases with increasing La/Sm, SiO2 and decreasing Nb/La, suggesting that as the mafic magmas evolved they were contaminated by older basement rocks. Gneissic granitoids >2.9 Ga in age, found at the base of the Kam Group, have varepsilonTNd between -6 and -9 and are excellent candidates for the contaminant. The geochemical and isotopic data, combined with the submarine eruptive setting and field evidence for existing continental basement, support a continental margin rift model for the Kam Group. Similar geochemical-isotopic studies are required on other Slave greenstone belts in order to test evolutionary models for the Slave Province.     

华北克拉通南缘太华杂岩组成及演化

太华杂岩位于华北克拉通南部,其组成复杂,记录了几乎所有早前寒武纪各阶段重要的地质事件;此外,由于其所处特殊地理位置,研究太华杂岩对于华北克拉通早前寒武纪地壳形成和演化、构造单元划分和基底拼合等都具有举足轻重的科学价值。本文综合已有的岩石学、变质作用、地球化学以及同位素年代学等诸多研究工作,得到以下阶段性结论和认识:1)将鲁山地区太华划分为以深成侵入岩为主的片麻岩系和以变质沉积-火山岩为主的表壳岩系;前者形成于中太古代晚期-新太古代早期,后者形成于古元古代晚期。而小秦岭地区太华杂岩中变质深成侵入岩形成时间跨度较大,为中太古代晚期-古元古代早期;而其上覆的火山-沉积岩可与鲁山太华杂岩的表壳岩类比,形成时间亦为古元古代晚期。2)中太古代-新太古代(2.91～2.50Ga)为华北克拉通南部大陆最主要的地壳形成时期。提出太华杂岩在太古宙经历了两期明显的地壳生长时间,一期发生在2.85～2.70Ga,以鲁山太华片麻岩系中的深成侵入岩和斜长角闪岩为代表;另一期发生在～2.50Ga,以小秦岭华山和崤山地区太华杂岩中各类花岗质岩石为代表。3)太华杂岩在所谓的全球陆壳生长"沉寂期(2.45～2.20Ga)"岩浆活动异常发育,推测这一时期的岩石形成于古元古代俯冲-汇聚环境,可能是与华北克拉通南部太古宙陆块和其他陆块汇聚-碰撞相关。4)太华杂岩在古元古代晚期普遍遭受了强烈的变质和变形,其变质程度主体为高角闪岩相,局部可达麻粒岩相,且记录了包含近等温降压退变质片段的顺时针变质作用P-T轨迹,经历了一个漫长的变质演化过程(1.97～1.80Ga),变质作用的时限跨度可达150Myr。5)提出华北克拉通南部曾经为一个统一基底,称之为"南部太古宙地块",此地块形成时间为新太古代末期(～2.5Ga)。该古老陆块经历了如下5个构造-演化阶段:(1)冥古宙-始太古代初始陆核形成;(2)中太古代-新太古代陆壳快速生长;(3)古元古代早期(～2.3Ga)岩浆活动异常活跃;(4)古元古代(2.30～1.97Ga)陆内拉伸-破裂;和(5)古元古代末期(1.97～1.80Ga)陆块最终拼合。     

Geochemistry and origin of the Archean Prince Albert Group volcanics,western Melville Peninsula,Northwest Territories,Canada

Major and trace element data on the Archean metavolcanic rocks of the Prince Albert Group (PAG), Northwest Territories. Canada, are reported. The following major groups were found, based on combined field and geochemical evidence: ultramafic flows; basaltic rocks, predominantly tholeiites; andesites; heavy REE depleted dacites; and rhyolites.The ultramafic and basaltic rocks are relatively normal Archean volcanics except for the downward bowed REE patterns of the tholeiitic basalts. The andesites, dacites and rhyolites, however, are not typical of Archean terrains. Comparisons between the andesites of the PAG and other Archean and more recent ones show that those of the PAG are most similar chemically to modern high-K andesites. REE patterns in these rocks suggest that partial melting of assemblages with significant garnet are an unlikely source but it is not possible to ascribe their origin to any simple process. Partial melting of a garnet-poor mafic granulite is an acceptable source for the heavy REE depleted dacites. The geochemical characteristics of the rhyolites cannot be explained by partial melting of a mafic source or by fractional crystallization from the daeites. It is suggested that these rocks originated by partial melting of pre-existing sialic crust.     

Geochronology (SHRIMP II) of zircons from Archean stratotectonic associations of Karelian greenstone belts: Significance for stratigraphic and geodynamic reconstructions

Individual grains of zircon from the Archean Kostomuksha, North Karelian and Matkalakhta greenstone belts, which are situated respectively in western, northern and eastern Karelia, are studied using the ion microprobe SHRIMP II. As a result, the oldest ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb ages of 3151 ± 4.6 and 3329 ± 16 Ma are first determined for detrital zircons from northern and eastern Karelia. The ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb ages estimated for two subsequent metamorphic events of Archean Eon in eastern Karelia correspond to 3.25 and 3.17–3.10 Ga. The age value of 2711 ± 9.6 Ma is determined for silicic volcano-plutonic complex and quartz stockwork in northern Karelia and the date 2821 ± 15 Ma for magmatic rocks of eastern Karelia. Silicic volcanics from an oceanic plateau section in the Kostomuksha belt are dated at 2791.7 ± 6.1 Ma for the first time in the Archean of Fennoscandia. The oldest detrital zircons from siliciclastic metasediments determine the stabilization time of Archean continental nuclei in East Fennoscandia. The younger generation of greenstone belts is exemplified in the Karelian craton by the Matkalakhta and Kostomuksha structures comprising rock associations less than 2.82 Ga old, mafic rocks of the Kontokki Group included. Geological history of these belts corresponds to geodynamic mesocycle 90–110 Ma long and to the Archean global epoch of metallogeny, which was responsible for origin of most valuable deposits of base and precious metals.     

Formation and evolution of the Archean continental crust of China: A review

The mainland of China is composed of the North China Craton, the South China Craton, the Tarim Craton and other young orogenic belts. Amongst the three cratons, the North China Craton has been studied most and noted for its widely-distributed Archean basement rocks. In this paper, we assess and compare the geology, rock types, formation age and geochemical composition features of the Archean basements of the three cratons. They have some common characteristics, including the fact that the crustal rocks prior to the Paleoarchean and the supracrustal rocks of the Neoarchean were preserved, and Tonalite-Trondhjemtite-Granodiorite (TTG) magmatism and tectono-magmatism occurred at about 2.7 Ga and about 2.5 Ga respectively. The Tarim Craton and the North China Craton show more similarities in their early Precambrian crustal evolution. Significant findings on the Archean basement of the North China Craton are concluded to be: (1) the tectonic regime in the early stage (>3.1 Ga) is distinct from modern plate tectonics; (2) the continental crust accretion occurred mostly from the late Mesoarchean to the early Neoarchean period; (3) a huge linear tectonic belt already existed in the late Neoarchean period, suggesting the beginning of plate tectonics; and (4) the preliminary cratonization had already been completed by about 2.5 Ga. Hadean detrital zircons were found at a total of nine locations within China. Most of them show clear oscillatory zoning, sharing similar textures with magmatic zircons from intermediate-felsic magmatic rocks. This indicates that a fair quantity of continental material had already developed on Earth at that time.